An incredible 827-year-old stone inscription has been discovered at the Chodeswara Shiva Temple in Maduthuru village, Atchutapuram mandal of Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh. The discovery, made by researchers from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), sheds light on the temple’s historical and cultural significance during the Kalinga era.
This finding is part of a larger project spearheaded by INTACH’s Odisha chapter, aimed at documenting historic Kalingan sites across Andhra Pradesh. The project’s coordinator, Deepak Kumar Nayak, member Suman Prakash Swain, and epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari are leading this initiative.
According to Bishnu Mohan, the Telugu-language inscription, carved on a stone panel affixed to the temple wall, reveals that the Chodeswara Shiva Temple was built in 1197-98 CE by three brothers—Prolli Setti, Poti Setti, and Bhami Setti, sons of Sittamma Setti. The inscription also records a land grant made to ensure the temple’s upkeep and to keep its lamps perpetually lit.
A prominent feature of the stone is the figure of a couchant bull, accompanied by the royal insignia of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. This indicates that the grant was issued during the first regnal year of King Rajaraja Deva III, the grandson of the illustrious Eastern Ganga monarch Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva.
Deepak Kumar Nayak explained that the naming of the temple as “Chodeswara” might have been a tribute to Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, known for his role in reconstructing the grand Jagannath Temple in Puri. The discovery highlights how, during the 12th century CE, the Kalinga region extended from the Ganga River in the north to the Godavari River in the south, encompassing today’s Anakapalli.
This remarkable find not only enriches the historical narrative of Andhra Pradesh but also reinforces the cultural connections between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh during the Kalinga era.
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